That there was fuch a perfon in the world as JESUS CHRIST, who lived in the days of Auguftus Cafar, and was crucified at Jerufalem under PontiusTM Pilate, is, we confels, eafily credited, and commonly believed; juft as men believe there was once fuch a perfon as Plato, or Socrates in the world, upon the bare credit of hiftory: But it is altogether above the power of nature, and beyond the reach of human ability, to believe that this JESUS was that MESSIAH who fhould come into the world to fave his people from their fins. -He that faith I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him: But whofo keepeth his word, in bim verily is the love of God perfected*.-In the former of these verfes it is plain that knowledge includes love; and, in the latter, that love implies knowledge: both which are effential to a living faith in the Son of GOD.

But every true Christian receives his knowledge of CHRIST, not from human teaching (that his faith might not stand in the wisdom of ment:) yet man's preaching and teaching of Jefus Chrift, according to truth, is the ordinary means and inftrument whereby the faving knowledge of CHRIST is O 4

con

1 AЯs v. 42.

conveyed unto us :-But a true Chriftian receives his knowledge of CHRIST froin the HoHOLY GHOST Only, that his faith may ftand in the power of GOD: And thus it is written in the Prophets'; they shall be all taught of God; therefore faith CHRIST, Every one that bath keard, and learned of the Father cometh unto me+:-Here he plainly fheweth, that unlefs a man is taught of GOD he cannot come to CHRIST; that is, believe on him: And, in the fame chapter, he exprefly. declares it; for, No man, faith he, can come unto me, except the Father who hath fent me draw him.

Faith then in CHRIST may be defcribed, and fet forth, as it frequently is in Scripture, by a believing that Jefus is the Chrift; or believing God's teftimony concerning his Son Jefus, or that the report of the Gofpel, as preached by the Apostles, concerning Chrift, is the fure word and truth of GOD; or by trufting in Jefus Chrift; or by a coming to Chrift, or receiving of him: for all these expreffions have but one meaning, and express the very fame thing: they have but one ground, and obje, even the Word and Chrift of GOD: and the Toul, in believing, trufting, and coming to Chrift, hath but one motive, and one end, viz. peace with GoD, and eternal falvation, as freely given to us of GOD, in Chrift Jefus our Lord.

+ John vi. 45.

-Now

Now that which conftitutes this faith, or truft in Chrift, is the true knowledge, and love of God, and of his falvation in Chrift Jefus.For this caufe, the Apostle defines faith, not to be an evidence only, of the truth believed, but the ground of hope alfo; and certainly no man ever did, nor can hope to poffefs, or enjoy that which he doth not love, But when any one understands and loves the falvation of GOD in Chrift, his expectation, or hope of obtaining life eternal, which God bath promifed to them that love him, hath a fure foundation: And therefore, every one who hath this hope in him, purifieth himself, even as he is puret.

The reafon why GOD is faid to fend antichrift, and his adherents, a ftrong delufion to believe a lie is, because they believed not the truth, but bad pleasure in unrighteousness: or, as he expreffes it in the fame chapter, because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be faved t-Thus we fee their destruction was not owing to a want of knowledge, but of love to Chrift: wherefore he faith; This is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil

James i. 12. +1 John iii. 3. John iii. 19.

Know

‡ 2 Theff. ii. 10.

Knowledge, without love, cannot make the foul fincere in following Chrift:-It is love, and nothing but love, that unites the foul to Chrift, and draws it after him and when this union is accomplished, no adverfity, tribulation, or distress, can make a feparation :-Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it: If a man would give all the fubftance of his houfe for love, it would be utterly contemned*. Our love to GOD is produced, nourifhed and maintained by his love towards us :-We love him, becaufe be first loved us.

Knowledge indeed prepares the way, and keeps it clear and open for the foul to love Chrift; for we cannot love him whom we know not. Yet the Scripture informs us of many who were enlightened, had knowledge of the way of truth, and believed for a time; that went back from following Chrift, apoftatized from the faith, and perished in their iniquity. But I never read of any who loved him, that afterwards departed from him, making shipwreck of faith, and a good confcience : Yet the word of God muft ftand for ever; which teflifieth, he that believeth on the Son of God hath everlafting life, and fhall not come into condemnation; but is paffed from death unto lifet. It is therefore certain that

• Cant. viii. 7.

believing + John v. 24.

believing in this place means more than a bare knowledge of Chrift, or a temporary believing only; for the Scripture cannot be broken.

The ftony ground bearers believed for a while, but in time of temptation they fell away*. Simon Magus alfo believed, and was baptized; yet his beart was not right in the fight of God: But with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; therefore he had no true faith.-When the Eunuch faid to Philip; See, here is water, what doth hinder me to be baptized? He replied, If thou believeft with all thine heart, thou mayeft: and he said, I believe that Jefus Chrift is the Son of God +. This was true faith.—The difference between him and Simon Magus, in believing, appears to be this; the one believed with the heart, and the other not: for neither of them could have been baptized, until they had profeffedly believed that Jefus was the Son of God.

Again, fome believed that Christ was a Prophet, and fent of GOD, who, as yet, did not believe that he was Chrift the Son of GOD :-Thus the man that was born blind, whofe eyes he had opened, confeffed him to be a Prophet, and fent of GOD; for which confeflion he was excommunicated

Matt. xiii. 20, 21.

+ Acts viii. 37.